


Anticipation

by Elial_Shadowpine



Series: The Beauty of Temptation [3]
Category: Black Jewels - Anne Bishop
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 19:03:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11110887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elial_Shadowpine/pseuds/Elial_Shadowpine





	Anticipation

The three sat in comfortable chairs in front of a low fire. Hagen let out his breath. "I don't know how I missed it. I didn't want the lass to feel stifled, but I thought I had managed to keep her safe. This Aethan fellow sounds as though he cares for her, but the members of the First and Second Circles that have approached Della…" He shook his head.

"There is a simple solution to that," Karla said fiercely. "I'll have both shaved and exiled."

"Certainly, you are Queen and your word is law," Serys replied cautiously, realizing that Karla was still riding the killing edge. If she didn’t calm down soon, who knew what the price might be? “However, the males in question have been — oafish, but they have not done anything severe enough to warrant that punishment.”

Karla jerked her gaze in Serys’s direction and snarled. “That _bastard_ forced himself on my daughter. How _dare_ you suggest it isn’t serious?”

“I didn’t say that,” Serys replied, trying to keep her voice even. “The behavior of these males is unacceptable. That’s why you should dismiss them from your Court. But sloppy kisses, even if unwanted, are not warrant enough to shave and exile a male.”

Prince Hagen coughed, clearing his throat and attracting the attention of both Serys and Karla. “In my capacity as your Master of the Guard, my Queen, I must agree with the Lady Serys. As a father, I would be more than happy to tear them limb from limb, but I cannot condone anything further than dismissal from the Court. That should make it clear to any other presumptuous young bucks to tread lightly with Della.”

“And hopefully,” Serys added, “any other young witchling in the Court. Think. If these males are pressuring Della, the daughter of Glacia’s _Queen_ , what are they doing to those witches who haven’t the same social status?”

“In other words,” Karla said harshly, “what are they doing to witches from more common backgrounds, like the maids and servants.”

“I have heard no reports of any sort of sexual assault or misconduct,” Hagen replied. “Glacia is not Terreille, my Queen, despite your uncle’s best efforts to hand it over to Hekatah and Dorothea on a silver platter. We have a problem, but it is early enough we can address it with more subtlety.”

“What are you suggesting?” Karla asked, the bristle calmed. Serys let out a quiet sigh of relief. She had worried the older witch would let her protective temper ride her.

“It's been awhile since you've had your First Circle gathered in one place, no?"

Karla worried at her lips. "You could say that."

_Why am I not surprised?_ Serys thought. "Summer is over, and the harvest season is beginning. I don't know if Glacia has a tradition of an autumn festival, but I do know you spent time in Shalador Nehele, and it seems to me that it would be trivial to throw a nice big festival consisting of the First Circle in celebration. We already know two of the culprits—but how many more are there?"

Karla tapped her foot impatiently. "How is a festival going to help us winnow out the predators?"

Serys smiled maliciously. "That's where I come in. I intend to draw them out—be the bait, as it were."

Hagen jumped in. "Lady, I have two concerns with this plan. First, your safety. Would your health allow you to defend yourself? Secondly, what if the males in question are only attracted to young witches that they can break?"

"I managed to knock Lucivar into the ground at least once." Serys snorted. "I think that qualifies my defenses. As for the other, are there any other Gray Jewelled males in the First Circle?"

"No," Karla said, concern still visible on her prematurely aged face. "I'm the only one."

"Good. You can create an illusion to make me look younger. Tell them I'm a talented witchling under your tutelage. Any male—or males— perverted enough to break a witch will focus their attentions on me."

Karla nearly choked on her brandy. "You intend to act as _bait_?"

"Why not?" Serys shrugged. "We want to draw them out, don't we? We can't put a young witch in danger. It has to be me."

"Why you?" Karla said suspiciously.

"Do you have anybody else that you can trust with this? I also have the _advantage_ —" she said with a touch of bitterness "—that my body is clearly damaged. It'll be blood in the water to them. Well, or snow. Either way. I know what I'm doing."

"Are you sure?" Hagen said, worry carrying in his voice. "The danger—"

That sent rage sizzling through her body. "I'm well aware of the danger. I survived Terreille, didn't I? This is trivial in comparison."

Karla let out a sigh. "You've caught me there. All right. I'll create the illusion. But if you find yourself in a situation where you're truly in danger, you damn well better call for aid."

"I would do nothing less," Serys said coolly, although relief flooded her. "But I can and will defend myself, even if that means I kill."

A snort escaped Karla, with a half-amused look in her ice blue eyes. "You'd be far more gentle with them than I would."

Serys smiled coldly, even though her eyes flamed with what she knew was anticipation. "You underestimate me, Karla. Because of my weakness, Sadi taught me a very important skill. So did Surreal."

"And that would be?" Karla said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing much." The words might be flippant, but the ever-present malice towards those males who enjoyed breaking young witches roiled through her voice. "Simply some rather nasty—and thorough—ways of blasting a male to bits and finishing the kill."

A half-smile quirked at Karla's lips. "That's definitely Surreal. And Sadi?"

The words came out in a vicious whisper. "The art of being a _very_ discreet gravedigger. Once I'm through with them, there will be nothing left to find. _Nothing._ "

Silence filled the room until Hagen coughed. "I believe we have a course of action, then?"

"I believe we do," Karla said faintly.

Malevolent satisfaction was the only emotion Serys felt. No matter how many or few corrupted males there were in Karla's court, she would be the avenger for those harmed, or those who would be harmed. _I couldn't save the witches in Terreille, but this_ _… this will be my retribution._

And the part of her that burned with cold rage that never left her, always simmering beneath the surface of a witch harmed far too many times, never mind those atrocities witnessed, soared with fierce delight. _I will bring the reckoning—and the fools will have no idea what's coming._


End file.
